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Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Useless. Useless.

"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt
23 April 1910

That is the second time in less that a week that I've used that quote. This time I've expanded it a bit. Forgive me but it is twice as appropriate today as it was when uttered by Teddy Roosevelt one-hundred and one years ago. The old bugger is calling out to us from across a century and no one is listening. Pity.

Sometimes I get the horrible feeling that historians will one day record that the United States began - and ended - with a tea party. Just in case you failed tonotice, your once-great nation was kidnapped and held for ransom this week by the most extreme and reckless political forces to be visited upon this country since the Confederacy. The president of the United States might have been the man in the arena, daring greatly. Instead he cavedin, showing (again from the pen of TR) "all the backbone of a chocolate eclair." Mr. Roosevelt was referring to President William McKinley when he made that remark in a private letter in 1898. He might as well have been referring to the current chief-executive. The man certainly had a way with words, didn't he?

"The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned."

-Section Four of the Fourteenth Amendment

Barack Obama had a golden opportunity to show more courage than any president since Jack Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis almost half-a-century ago. He could have stood up and said, "NO, goddamn it! I refuse to allow the well being of the American people to be held hostage by these hideous jackasses" He then could have legally invoked the Fourteenth and stood up for principle. It would have been one of history's mountaintop moments. Instead he blew it. In the end temporary political expediency won out over doing right by the suffering people of this country. He didn't "fail while daring greatly". He just failed - completely.

And to think that there are still fools out there calling this president (of all presidents) "the most radical liberal in American history". That doesn't even come close to passing the laugh test. Show me a person spouting such nonsense and I'll show you someone abysmally lacking in historical knowledge. To such people I have three words:

FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT

Last night on the Dylan Radigan program on MSNBC, Senator Bernie Sanders called it like it is.Bernie Sanders has quite a talent for calling it like it is, have you ever noticed that? Said the the distinguished gentleman from Vermont, this is "a defeat for ordinary Americans and a victory for the Republicans and the largest corporations". He then said that Barack Obama should be challenged in the primaries. I agree. With "liberals" like this guy, who the hell needs conservatives?I nominate Senator Sanders.Seriously.

The Tea party owns Washington DC. This radical, right-wing fringe group now sets the agenda for this country, isn't that a scream? Mike Lupica put it well in yesterday's New York Daily News:"These are the crackpots who have designated themselves to speak for Conservative America. Only they don't act like conservatives. They act like anarchists." I can relate. I never dreamed I would live to see the day when I would feel a sense of tender nostalgia for Alan Simpson. These surely are interesting times to live in.

The raising of the debt ceiling yesterday held off economic catastrophe - for the time being - but in the long run the conditions that made the agreement possible will only come back to haunt us. When the "job creators" (The GOP won't call them "the wealthy") are not taxed at their ability to pay, when the middle class is forced to bear the nation's tax burden, our downward economic spiral can only compound itself. Obama and the people around him must have known this, and yet they allowed this Raw Deal to happen. Why? I am desperately trying to convince myself that the president has a cardup his sleeve; that in the end this capitulation to the extremists will prove to be a political master stroke - but I'm not optimistic. Not at all.

In the meantime the impoverished, the elderly, the working and middle classes - the usual suspects - will continue to struggle and suffer while the richest among us and the mega-corporations are not asked to contribute a dime between the lot of them. Such a sweet fucking deal!

And do you wanna hear the punchline? They're calling this - WAIT FOR IT! - "compromise". No, I'm not making this up.

For the next eighteen months (at least) the so-called Tea party will have our government up against the wall. The next time the debt ceiling will need to be raised, before the year is out, they will again threaten us with economic calamity if their outrageous demands are not met. What might they be next time I wonder? The abolition of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the minimum wage? The discontinuation of the Voting Rights Act? You think all of this might be a bit of a stretch on my part? We'll shall see.

"A sugar-coated Satan sandwich"

Emmanuel Cleaver
Leader of the Congressional Black Caucus

Indeed. Not that I'm freaking out about any of this mind you. Au contraire! The weirder this country becomes the happier I am. Dark humor of the unintentional sort tends to make me giddy with anticipation; always wondering from what venue the next moronic statement will be emanating. I'm having a grand time thank you very much. The lower this country sinks into the depths of societal dysfunction and despair, the higher my stock rises. Five years ago I was just one of thousands of obscure bloggers. Nowadays people are starting to take a bit of notice. I'm not implying that "The Rant" has the name recognition of AlterNet or the Huffington Post. I'm just saying that they're starting to talk about this site out there. I'm even beginning to make a bit of chump change off of the deal. You say you're going to vote for Rick Perry in 2012? Go for it, dude!

This is our new reality. Our parents bequeathed to us the greatest country in the history of the world. And what are we leaving our children? A social and economic shit hole. Get used to living in a country in ruins. I'm adjusting. How 'bout you?

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net

AFTERTHOUGHT:
Here is the voice of Franklin D. Roosevelt, articulating his vision of America and the world:

Coming soon to an independently owned book store near you. I know there must be one left out there! Here is a link to Nina's website to keep up-to-date on her book's progress:

www.ninamohadjer.com

Nina Mohadjerwas born in Iran and raised in Germany. She came to the United States in 1992 and has been living in Ridgefield, Connecticut since 1995. She is a writer, an activist, and possesses a social conscience that is unique and profound. We here in America are all-the-richer for the fact that she walks among us. We're fortunate to have her. Nina is a textbook example as to why immigrants are so essential to our diverse culture.

85 Comments:

Tom, I think the president did not cave. He got the spending plan he wanted. He had to put on a good show for us all, but he got what he wanted in the end. If he truly did not want this to happen, he would have called up the 14th and cut to the chase. We sit here and call it a negotiation, while they sit there in DC and call it a scheme. Two sides to the same coin. We are now in freefall mode. Enjoy the ride down.

BOOO HOOO liberal babies. The Tea Party Terrorists have prolonged the bankruptcy of the USSA by 1 year at the current rate of deficits.

TD, why don't you type prolific regarding the fact that FDR knew his programs were not economically feasible over the long term. Maybe you don't know that. It's not left wing indoctrination reading list.

Perhaps President Obama presents a threat to corporate profits (with the idea of closing the loopholes & taxing them) and the G(reedy)OP wants to put the screws to him. Well, there are plenty in the Democratic Party that have abandoned him, I however choose to stand with the President even when I have doubt. I prefer the audacity of hope, even in the hard times. I give you the GOP at its worst. http://www.youtube.com/wat​ch?v=URAAfREIRGA&feature=s​hareamituofo mary j.

PRINCETON, NJ (Gallup) — Americans’ political ideology at the midyear point of 2011 looks similar to 2009 and 2010, with 41% self-identifying as conservative, 36% as moderate, and 21% as liberal.

If this pattern continues, 2011 will be the third straight year that conservatives significantly outnumber moderates — the next largest ideological bloc. Liberalism has been holding steady for the past six years, averaging either 21% or 22%, although notably higher than the 17% average seen in Gallup polling during the early to middle ’90s.

Longer term, the Gallup ideology trend, dating from 1992, documents increased political polarization in the country. The percentage of moderates has fallen to the mid-30s from the low 40s, while the combined percentage eithe

(Chicago Tribune) — The sound of helicopters over the Chicago lakefront today signaled the practice drills that accompany a presidential visit. And with Congress poised to act on a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling, President Barack Obama’s plans to return to his hometown and engage in some fundraising are back on.

Obama is scheduled to attend a 50th birthday gala on Wednesday at the Aragon Ballroom, an event featuring Jennifer Hudson and Herbie Hancock. There’s also a dinner fundraiser planned for some special donors to go with the show at a cost of $35,800 a person.

Kathleen, I love your optimism and positivity, but... he caved. Not only did he cave, but he has now permanently allowed 2 things (the budget and the debt ceiling) that have nothing to do with each other be inextricably linked henceforth. He's changed American politics forever.

if Obama gets any scummier he will be be floating in a pond somewhere right next to boltok, OH, and boltok you may want to evacuate your bowels the excrement is backing up and spilling forth probably from your mouth but most definitely from the tips of your fingers as you type your inane comments and remember this you and all your cronies couldn't carry FDR's jockstrap

I knew since I was in the 6th grade that Amerika was a fucked up country built on hypocrisy and lies. The past 42 years have only served to convince me of this further. For a so called " democracy " WE THE PEOPLE sure have little if any say about what the establishment does which affects the quality of our lives. Greed and money run Amerika only to benefit the greedy, wealthy psychopaths who have hijacked control of all three branches of government. I've always been embarrassed to be an Amerikan but now more so than ever. It's sad how far we fallen from what we should be. RIP Amerika.

Froggy, I will empty my bowels on blogs like this in a little over a year when President Sockpuppet and Reid get removed. The teleprompter is losing in all battleground states. It will be a Mondale blowout. 2/3 of those up in the senate are dems, republicans will be near a super majority.

Enjoy the last of your unrestrained destruction of the future of the US.

Ellis, if you have been so miserable for so long, go somewhere else. Why do people feel the need to f up a country because your pocket of lunatics don't like. You are the imperialist bitches.

boltok....I'd tell you that you are retarded but that would be an insult to retarded people. I WISH I was able to leave this shit-hole called Amerika but there really isn't any place that welcomes Amerikan political refugees. See if there were MILLIONS of pissed off folks would migrate there and overburden the place !! I for one would love to see the establishment lose the little tax revenue base it still has as millions of folks leave and no longer contribute their tax dollars to the evil regime !!

I am really unhappy about this deal. I feel really torn. I have been a staunch defender of President Obama ever since I heard him speak back in 2006 or 2007, what ever.I'm trying like hell to figure this all out, trying to find some kind of silver lining.One thing we all need to remember, President Obama never looks to the short term. He ALWAYS looks at the long term results. This gives me some hope that this bullshit deal may not be as bad as it seems. Obama is an intelligent man. He is a crafty one as well. Maybe, just maybe, he has some kind of plan where this will backfire on the repukes. That's all I've got.

mary b.....as Batman would say " you poor deluded child ". Obummer may be intelligent but his lack of courage and conviction to principles that someone with his intelligence SHOULD adhere to far out weigh his purported intellect. He is either a Repug plant who infiltrated the other party or a pure coward lacking the guts to stand up to the big boys as they destroy Amerika. Either way he sucks !!

I got out of the USA during the Reagan Administration. The horror of "ketchup is a vegetable," School of the Americas, Iran/Contra, and all the stupidity of THAT Republican era was more than I could bear. I didn't think it possible to be worse.

I thought the country might stabilize after Clinton and, well, the Supreme Court selected "W" and it all went to hell.

Canadians are watching with interest as the USA implodes and the Canadian dollar is valued at $1.06 against the USA dollar. Canadians love flocking to the USA to get more bang for the buck, but sure won't be there when the revolution begins, if anyone gives a damn to fight to rid the place of those nihilist Tea Party detenators.

"WISH I was able to leave this shit-hole called Amerika but there really isn't any place that welcomes Amerikan political refugees." Ellis try Cuba, if you need airfare let us know how to help with the ticket.

Then again, maybe the rest of the world doesn't view America as you do, as a place to leave but instead as a place to move to. Can it be your view of AmericA is wrong, nah, libtards are never wrong.

EllisA man of your caliber should have a better grasp of his options. Every other person in their 60s in the interior of Alberta and British Columbia is a US draft dodger. Canada has been very welcoming to these folks. You could go there and make friends almost immediately. I encourage you to go.

boltok... you are a bit outdated on your view of Canada. Just the Facts....even the Mexicans don't want to come here anymore. BTW...Cuba is on the up and up compared to the bullshit fed to Amerikans here. You idiots can wave the flag all you want...I'll wipe my ass with it !!

My average monthly bill for GASOLINE is $270. (that's one fill up per week for my wife's car to go to/from work plus one fill up for me) THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY FOR GOING NOWHERE! Wonder if our Leaders even know the price of a gallon of gas?

Prairie Waif said, “Canadians are watching with interest as the USA implodes and the Canadian dollar is valued at $1.06 against the USA dollar.”

Actually, Canada was in pretty much the same fix in the mid 90’s so I wouldn’t be too smug. The dollar hasn’t been labeled the “northern peso” – well, yet. And, how did they work out of it? NOT by raising taxes. Basically, it was through spending cuts to balance the budget.

Excerpt from ’98 NY Times article –“After several years of cutting deeply into some of Canada's most cherished social programs, the Government today introduced the first balanced budget in nearly 30 years, cautiously promising to restore some services and lower taxes without returning to the big spending that first put the budget in the red in 1970.” – Anthony DePalma 2/25/98

Ellis, Looks like there is a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow. Here is how you can become a citizen of Cuba.

You can become one by birth or naturalization. Read here.

ART. 13. Cubans by naturalization are:

1st. Aliens who, after five years of continuous residence in the territory of the Republic, and not less than one year after having declared their intention of acquiring Cuban nationality, obtain the letter of citizenship in accordance with the law, provided that they know the Spanish language.

2nd. An alien who marries a Cuban woman, and an alien woman who marries a Cuban, in case offspring result from such union, or if they maintain two years of continuous residence in the country after their marriage, and provided that they previously renounce the nationality of their origin.Source(s):juanperez.com/constitution/II.html

So dude, what's hold you back? Must learn Spanish, no problem for an intellect like yourself, renounce your citizenship as an AmeriKan, doubt that will be a problem for you, right?

Let's see how would you do this. I know, you get an AmeriKan passport and go to the nearest Canadian city with airport that has flights to Cuba. Once you're in Canada you make your wish to become a Cuban citizen know to Cuban authorities, grab a ticket and off you go to North Amerika's Workers paradise! Hang on let me check the drug laws in Cuba about pot.

I don't know dude, maybe tougher on you in Cuba for a pot bust than here, but what the hell, Amerika is such an awful place to live, you will have no problem giving up your favorite herb to be able to live in the wonderful country of Cuba.

cuba-junky.com/cuba/crime.html

SO dude, do you except paypal? Know your gonna need help paying to the Amerikan Passport and ticket from Canada to Cuba. If we can get a deal on group pricing do you have any buddies that feel the same way as you do? I'm sure a lot of us loving conservatives would be glad to chip in and help all of you have a much happier life by saying goodbye to awful Amerika and hello to wonderful Cuba.

By the way, I do not think today's legislation was good, for the record. More smoke and mirrors - nothing accomplished. Basically, they're going to borrow more and push off the tough calls till after 2012 elections - in a nutshell.

I put on five pounds eating through my disgust the last three weeks. I am going to take your lead and not let all this get to me (actually, I already am adjusting to living in a country of ruins). So I will not bake another chocolate cake with Dutch fudge frosting. Nope. Instead, I will keep T. Roosevelt's quote in mind to take up the cause of personal well-being.

Good for you for picking up some loose change. That is good for your well-being, and, well, being as readers love your blog, it is good for ours too. At least something is still "win-win" in this country.

Just the Facts....I never said I wanted to live in Cuba. My point was that in Cuba people know what the deal is. Cuba doesn't try to pass its government off as something it is not. Amerika is always touting rights and freedoms that don't exist or are diminishing. Maybe if more people knew the truth and understood what is really going down they would be pissed off enough to do something about it, like what happened in WI. Where are the Yippie radicals when you need them ??

Remember how Al Gore was ridiculed for suggesting that Social Security Monies be put in a "Lock Box?" (to stop the pilfering of the SS Surplus instituted by Reagan and mimicked by every President since) To paraphrase God Reagan: "Mr. President put back those funds." WE THE PEOPLE HAVE NO FUCKING MEMORY!POLITICIANS = THIEVES

Sorry dude, just trying to help you with your wishes, hate to thing of you being so miserable every here in god awful Amerika.

Yeah the deal in WI is really really rotten. I mean the school districts didn't going broke, teachers are getting paid etc. The best bad news is the State is no longer collecting and paying the Union dues from its members. Which means the Union has to do their own collecting of the dues owed from their membership How unfair.

I bet in Cuba it's a lot better, but I guess you REALLY don't want to leave AMERICA after all do you.It's time for you to put up or shut up Ellis, the conservatives will gladly pay your bill to get you to Cuba.

Hay Gypsy Bob, "Remember how Al Gore was ridiculed for suggesting that Social Security Monies be put in a "Lock Box?" (to stop the pilfering of the SS Surplus instituted by Reagan and mimicked by every President since"

"WE THE PEOPLE HAVE NO FUCKING MEMORY!POLITICIANS = THIEVES" Gypsy BobThis is Gypsy Bob explaining how liberals define their mistake and demand those who point them out be a tad more civil; or they will call you a "babbling venomous prick."

Thanks Bob, on your way to the libtard double speak hall of fame!

You see Bob,I don't think you made a mistake, I think you were repeating what other libtards had said so you felt it was the truth. If a "mistake" is repeated long enough, it becomes the truth in peoples minds (even though it isn't and knowing so makes it a lie to repeat), like Tea Party members in Congress are terrorists.Sucks to be wrong doesn't it?

Tom, while I too am frustrated at what happened, I'm not at all sure the 14th Amendment route would've worked. For one thing, the language is somewhat ambiguous. While it does say that the debt "shall not be questioned," it doesn't expressly give the executive branch the authority to raise the ceiling on its own.

I love the Teddy quote, one of my favorites. Obama has to grow a pair if he plans on surviving.

Hey Boltok, are you really that uninformed as to say "Enjoy the last of your unrestrained destruction of the future of the US". Obama is to the right of Bush, 95% of all the Bush policies are still going strong.

Even under Clinton, NAFTA, GATT and the elimination of Glass-Steagall were pushed hard buy the Republicans.Just about every harmful policy in the last 11 years can be blamed on right wing agendas.

You have only seen the beginning of the destruction of the U.S., watch what happens in the next 10 years.

James, FWIW, I endorsed Bush v Afghanastan and tax cuts, dislike almost everything else about his administration. If you are looking for a name for what I endorse, its in the direction of Ron Paul. Small govt, max individual rights, personal responsibility, etc., etc.

Lydia, nothing wrong with eating your way to a couple extra pounds when your in a shit mood. Just don't let it get out of hand. Michelle Hussein Obama would not approve.

You know that guy on cable who fine tunes young women on their wardrobe, their makeup and so forth and he's prancing around being so judgmental? Well I just got the flash that Boltok is actually that guy! And I bet he likes to random call people and whisper in a Vincent Price voice: "The Liberals are responsible! It's the only thing that makes sense! Listen to the Mad Monk and learn... I admit that everything i post I have thought out a bit. Long passages indicate I have long conversations with myself before I post a response. But with Boltok I feel we may well read of him that he blew himself up at some public location and left a long, rambling tome explaining why it made sense to kill and maim perfect strangers to right some wrong. I feel compelled to use pictograms when writing in his direction. 8-(

JGThe closer countries have come to those ideals the better they have done. It is not possible to prove because socialists and marxist commies have been making as much mayhem as possible everywhere around the including here in the USSA. We historically have been the most free ergo we have had they most robust economic perormance and highest per capital GDP. I can show you a sewer full of countries with leaders that have espoused your political values. You know I am correct.

"The closer countries have come to those ideals the better they have done. It is not possible to prove...[there's a nation on this planet where my definition and concept of small government and individual rights is in place, practiced, and where the population thrives].

Two comments: In your first sentence, please provide examples. Hell, just give me one! In your second sentence, which I finished because that's really what I'm hearing you say, you're talking foolishness. Communism -- which is generally thought of as dead in the world -- isn't any kind of an influence, and as far as socialism, your thinking is so out of touch with reality. Most of the thriving nations in the world are a component of some blend of democraracy and socialism. But you, and your type, refuse to acknowledge this.

Your libertarian views, from an economic standpoint, would be devastating to the population. If your ideas weren't so amusing to me, I'd have to denounce them as ridiculous. Why? Because there's not a nation on this earth that practices the form of libertarianism you espouse. Not one! Why? Because it's a wet-dream that in theory sounds fine, but in practice would be a nightmare.

If you think otherwise, you're more foolish than I previously thought.

I'll ask once more, in case your comprehension skills are compromised due to a night out on the town. Please name one nation on this planet, where your definition and concept of "small government" and individual rights is in place, practiced, and where the population thrives.

JG, you are dumb as a box of rocks. Read closely. I said that one does not exist because people like you are so efficient at f'ing those who can take care of themselves regardless of any political construct thus far implemented. Can you understand that???

Hey JG, Norway, Sweden and Denmark meet those criteria. Far Left socialistic countries with the highest living standards in the world. Of course Boltok could never bring those countries up because it he believes in a Far Right political system.

I back that nomination of Sanders as primary challenger. I think we're sunk without it. The reactionary pull right is too powerful for my beloved Mr. Obama.

Whoever runs, and Sanders will be a very popular choice, they've got to run like they mean it. It can't just be for the purpose of leveling the ground, otherwise the ground won't level at all. That's a hell of a sacrifice of time and lightyears of life. It takes quixotic courage and Bernie's proved he's got that kind.

And there's Russ Feingold's Progressives United; the new website is up. I think that might be a good place for me to start.

Obamanomics are working as planned, destroying the capitalistic system. Markets tanking. Another few weeks and you liberal brown shirts will have nothing to seize. What will your solution be then. Print money? A trillion dollar stim with 5% to shovel ready jobs? You are watching the effects of dems running congress and presidency leading another recession and capital destruction in the US. Funny thing is you fools thing you need Sanders and that Obama is not liberal enough. Their is no word to describe the limits of your collective stupidity. Go government!!!

Remember when we were told the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)would not cut Medicare payments? Guess what? That was the truth if the supporters of Obamacare meant the money given to the patient. HOWEVER,starting this fall Medicare payments to nursing homes operators will be reduced by billions of dollars in federal funding this fall as part of an overhaul of Medicare.From the St. Louis Business Journal August 3, 2011 the following was reported.

"The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday said it planned to reduce Medicare reimbursements to skilled nursing facilities by $3.87 billion, or 11.1 percent, starting in October, in response to a flaw in accounting that occurred last year when, to calculate reimbursement rates, the agency placed patients in groups based on the degree of services needed. The move unintentionally (really, unintentionally?) spiked Medicare payments by 16 percent, or $2.1 billion, from the last half of fiscal 2010 to the first half of fiscal 2011." Humm, nice timing, increasing payments in "error" right before the 2010 elections. Too bad it didnt workas planned in the election.

And who will suffer due to this "unintentional error"? The senior citizens who were feed a line of libtard bull shit that Obamacare would be good for them and the evil Republicans were trying to cut their Medicare and S.S. And those SEIU members who work at nursing homes can expect lay offs due to this.And this after a 500 point drop in the stock market, that we were told would happen if the debt limited was not raised? Wake up people, this current government is out to make you totally depend on them like the 52% of Americans who do not pay federal income taxes already are.

I once thought Boltok was the only one here as bright as a pissed on candle but he seems to have a crowd around him just as bright. If you only knew how the rest of the world views the daft rantings coming from the political right you would think twice about backing the crap that spews forth. Your country was once an example to the world now its a place to ridicule and laugh at the feeble excuse for political discourse. I think you should all wake up to yourselves and instead of blaming Fred Nurks or Joe Bucket take some time to look at yourselves for allowing this to happen without dissent. The French are not often right on too many counts but their ability to hold the government accountable should be followed as an example to emulated.

With the aid of the dominant, liberal establishment mass media, America fell for the shallowest, most meaningless, propaganda laden political campaign ever conducted, in order to elect a smooth talking, narcissistic, incompetent, community agitating, ivy league professor who has never bothered to part with his ideological training long enough to gain one iota of insight into to the gritty mechanics and hard work it takes to create a job and wealth.

Tom, are you aware that your comments section has been taken over by a buncha right-wing pig/jackals?? You see Tom, if there's one thing authoritarian ass-hats hate, it's criticism. I mean, they really, really, REALLY don't like it. Do you even check on your comments sections?? A civil debate is always welcome, but the frothing right-wing jackal/pigs that are crawling in here by the dozens are anything but civil. If you would've told me when I was young, that I would live to see America turn into a corporate run right-wing shit-hole, I would've laughed at you. Thanks anyway Tom for being a light in the dark against the forces of the CCCP(Corporate controlled conservative press)that dominate the public discourse.

Thank you, JG. It's a good thing to know that people are reading this stuff.

As for the Roosevelt quotes, he said those things not when he was president but at the end of his life when he became quite the reactionary and was urging the country to enter the great war. I like to focus on TR the president.

Your response to my post with TR's quotes is stunning, to say the least.Almost, and I did say almost, leaves me speechless.

How do you feel about these quotes about running a small business by George McGovern, certainly not a "reactionary"?

"I learned first of all that over the past 20 years America has become the most litigious society in the world."

"The second lesson I learned by owning the Stratford Inn is that legislators and government regulators must more carefully consider the economic and management burdens we have been imposing on U.S. business."

"I'm for protecting the health and well-being of both workers and consumers. I'm for a clean environment and economic justice. But I'm convinced we can pursue those worthy goals and still cut down vastly on the incredible paperwork, the complicated tax forms, the number of minute regulations, and the seemingly endless reporting requirements that afflict American business. Many businesses, especially small independents such as the Stratford Inn, simply can't pass such costs on to their customers and remain competitive or profitable."

"I do know that if I were back in the U.S. Senate or in the White House, I would ask a lot of questions before I voted for any more burdens on the thousands of struggling businesses across the nation."

My two favorite candidates are Dennis Kucinich and Bernie, but it may be wiser to leave Bernie in the Senate and draft Russ Feingold.

Or Cynthia McKinney.

We've got lots of good candidates and just enough time.

If we put some rocket fuel into that engine.

Love you,

S

P.S. Again, I counsel getting the trolls off your site because trying to read your comments is really difficult after the first few (and your commenters by and large are very worthwhile reading), and no one likes a site that leaves you with a headache (which is what you have when you are overwhelmed by persistent, ignorant trolls.

Tom,Are you going to do as other liberal blogmisters have done and start to restrict or review posts before they are published? I see Dave Dubya has followed that step along with Ed Schultz's blog.Seeing that many of your liberal posters are calling you do so and realizing that Move on Dot Org has ready set out the liberal talking points for the week I want to be able to post this.The actions by S&P were not due to members of Congress who are called Tea Partiers. S&P said it was the failure to reduce the spending on entitlements that was the major cause. There I thought I'd be first and if you follow Dave Dubya and Ed Schultz, maybe the last use of free speech on your blog.

Not a surprise, until today the mainstream media declined to mention a primary factor in Standard & Poors' decision to downgrade United States Treasuries to AA+ from the previous AAA. Found on page 4 of the official Standard & Poors “Research Update” – the actual report published on August 5th on what they did and why – S&P bullet-pointed the following (quotation below). It's also in a report from the BBC (see ninth paragraph), but again, there's been no mention of this from the U.S. corporate media until this afternoon. Hmmm, I wonder why not?

"We have changed our assumption on this [referring to Bush tax cuts in '01 and '03] because the majority of Republicans in Congress continue to resist any measure that would raise revenues, a position we believe Congress reinforced by passing the act." [emphasis my own]

As far as I can tell, there's no mention by S&P regarding entitlements in particular -- only spending cuts in general.

DAVID BEERS S&P Chief interviewed on 8/7/11 by Chris Wallace: Question was "Does any compromise have to have both entitlement reform and revenue increases to be credible?ANSWER WAS:"Well, we think credibility would mean that would -- any agreement would command support from both political parties because, of course, the composition of Congress and, of course, the administration could change from 2012 onwards. But the key thing is -- yes, entitlement reform important because entitlement is the biggest component of spending and they are the part of spending where the cost pressures are greatest."

In fact in this interview the only person who brought up an increase in govt rev. was Chris Wallace of that hated right wing mouth piece Fox News. Wow, talk about slanted new reporting!

Dump away on this all you want but my post is supported by this quote which you will NOT find on Media Matters, BBC, The Daily Kos, MSNBC, CNN, HLN, ABC,CBS or NBC. Wonder why?

I hate to be mean, but are you being stupid on purpose? Reread my post I didn't say a word about tax increases, but Chris Wallace did in a question, to which the answer did NOT include a tax increase but instead did say, and I quote "But the key thing is -- yes, entitlement reform important because entitlement is the biggest component of spending and they are the part of spending where the cost pressures are greatest." David Beers S&PNow please explain how you got from that, the statement you made claiming I made supporting a tax increase?

Don't pick on JG. Give him credit. Something triggered in his backward liberal mind when the USA was downgraded. He then, under his own initiative, read the S&P report. You would expect that the only phrases that would leap off the page are tax increases. But to focus on that would discount his momentous effort.

If you present a liberal with the proposition of reduced spending, its alway no.

Reduced revenue, almost always no.

Liberals will always take an increase tax rate over tax revenue. They are inherently jealous class warriors.

They also don't care about budgets, haven't passed on in years. If the USA goes bankrupt, for the socialist, it's party time.

JG may be slightly better than this because he show signs of recognizing that the USA is bankrupt and that can't be a good thing.

"JG may be slightly better than this because he show signs of recognizing that the USA is bankrupt and that can't be a good thing."

Sure, we have some debt, but it's not as bad as it has been in the past (see "Debt as a fraction of GDP" -- bottom panel). Granted, it's inching upward, but still manageable. It's still not the crisis it's been purported to be. Is it a problem? Yes. Is it a crisis? Absolutely not. It's nothing that a 50% cut in military spending and Homeland Security spending (along with, of course, spiking the marginal tax rate on the top 2%) wouldn't solve.

Notice, if you will, exactly when debt started escalating on an increasingly steeper slope. Why, lord almighty, I believe it was under the administration of Ronald Reagan. ;-)

"...thanks for letting me post here unlike that dave w who now is preventing free speech on his blog."

You're incorrect. I don't have any problem commenting on Dave's blog. Possibly it's due to your impoliteness and crude way.

By the way, Dave's blog is his blog. He doesn't have to allow anybody access to it. It's sort of like when you visit someone's home. If you act like an ass, and are rude and disrespectful to your host, they have every right to kick you out. If you disagree with this, give me your address and we'll see whether I'm right. ;-)